Service zones for providing location-based services in a wireless network

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for defining a plurality of services zones within a wireless network and providing common content to users located within a particular service zone. The method comprises defining a plurality of service zones within the wireless network. The service zones are defined for providing location-based services to users within the service zones. The method further comprises identifying common content for a service zone. The method further comprises transmitting the common content to communication devices of a plurality of users located within the service zone.

1 . A system for providing location-based services on a wireless network, the system comprising:
 a management system adapted to define a plurality of service zones within the wireless network, wherein the service zones are defined for providing location-based services to users within the service zones;   a content manager coupled to the management system adapted to identify common content for a service zone; and   a transmission system coupled to the content manager adapted to transmit the common content to communication devices of a plurality of users located within the service zone.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the common content comprises attributes used by the communication devices to filter the common content to determine a portion of the common content to display to a user of a communication device. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the transmission system is further adapted to broadcast the common content within the service zone. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the transmission system is further adapted to:
 define a scrambling code for the service zone, wherein the scrambling code is used by a communication device of a user to decode the common content intended for the communication device;   transmit the scrambling code to the communication devices;   encode the common content with the scrambling code; and   broadcast the encoded common content within the service zone.   
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the content manager is further adapted to identify adjacent zone common content for at least one service zone adjacent to the service zone that includes the plurality of users; and   the transmission system is further adapted to transmit the adjacent zone common content to the plurality of users.   
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5  wherein the transmission system is further adapted to:
 define a first scrambling code for the common content of the service zone and define a second scrambling code for the adjacent zone common content of the adjacent service zone, wherein the first and second scrambling codes are used by a communication device of a user to decode the common content and the adjacent zone common content intended for the communication device;   transmit the first and second scrambling codes to the communication devices;   encode the common content of the service zone with the first scrambling code;   encode the adjacent zone common content of the adjacent service zone with the second scrambling code; and   broadcast the encoded common content and the encoded adjacent zone common content within the service zone.   
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the content manager is further adapted to:
 identify a list of the plurality of users located within the service zone;   determine communication capabilities for at least one of the plurality of users; and   add the list of the plurality of users and the communication capabilities to the common content.   
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the list comprises a user identifier for at least one of the plurality of users, and wherein the management system is further adapted to dynamically assign the user identifier for the at least one of the plurality of users to protect personal information of the at least one of the plurality of users. 
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein:
 the content manager is further adapted to receive a request from a user for common content for a remote service zone and to identify the common content for the remote service zone; and   the transmission system is further adapted to transmit the common content for the remote service zone to a communication device of the user.   
   
   
       10 . A method for providing location-based services on a wireless network, the method comprising:
 defining a plurality of service zones within the wireless network, wherein the service zones are defined for providing location-based services to users within the service zones;   identifying common content for a service zone; and   transmitting the common content to communication devices of a plurality of users located within the service zone.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the common content comprises attributes used by the communication devices to filter the common content to determine a portion of the common content to display to a user of a communication device. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein transmitting the common content further comprises:
 broadcasting the common content within the service zone.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 defining a scrambling code for the service zone, wherein the scrambling code is used by a communication device of a user to decode the common content intended for the communication device;   transmitting the scrambling code to the communication devices;   encoding the common content with the scrambling code; and   broadcasting the encoded common content within the service zone.   
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 identifying adjacent zone common content for at least one service zone adjacent to the service zone that includes the plurality of users; and   transmitting the adjacent zone common content to the plurality of users.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  further comprising:
 defining a first scrambling code for the common content of the service zone and a second scrambling code for the adjacent zone common content of the adjacent service zone, wherein the first and second scrambling codes are used by a communication device of a user to decode the common content and the adjacent zone common content intended for the communication device;   transmitting the first and second scrambling codes to the communication devices;   encoding the common content of the service zone with the first scrambling code;   encoding the adjacent zone common content of the adjacent service zone with the second scrambling code; and   broadcasting the encoded common content and the encoded adjacent zone common content within the service zone.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 identifying a list of the plurality of users located within the service zone;   determining communication capabilities for at least one of the plurality of users; and   adding the list of the plurality of users and the communication capabilities to the common content.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the list comprises a user identifier for at least one of the plurality of users, and wherein the method further comprises:
 dynamically assigning the user identifier for the at least one of the plurality of users to protect personal information of the at least one of the plurality of users.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 receiving a request from a user for common content for a remote service zone;   identifying the common content for the remote service zone; and   transmitting the common content for the remote service zone to the user.   
   
   
       19 . A method for providing location-based services on a wireless network, the method comprising:
 defining a plurality of service zones within the wireless network, wherein the service zones are defined for providing location-based services to users within the service zones;   determining active service zones to provide location-based services that include users located within the service zone that are provided with location-based services for the service zone;   identifying the users within each of the active service zones;   generating common content for each of the active service zones, wherein the common content for at least one of active service zone comprises information of the users located with the at least one active service zone; and   broadcasting the common content for each the active service zones.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising:
 defining a scrambling code for each of the active service zones, wherein the scrambling code is used by a communication device of a user to decode the common content intended for the communication device;   transmitting the scrambling code for decoding common content for a service zone to communication devices of the users for each of the active service zones; and   encoding the common content for the active service zones with the corresponding scrambling code for each of the active service zones.